The Little Things
by RozaHathaway17
Summary: It's the little things in life that make life worth living. Future fic. AU/Bangel/M for later chapters. Set post series, with no reference to the comic-verse and little Angel the series references (see author's note in first chapter.)


**This is a pretty important A/N but if you don't feel like reading it, you'll figure everything out. Don't worry about it. This story takes place after both series come to an end, ignoring the comic-verse and most of what _actually_ happens in season five of Angel. Here's the just of the character/pairing situation; Warren's bullet didn't kill Tara, only wounded her but Willow still went all dark Willow destroy the world because she thought Tara was dead. Tara and Willow are together (there may be some Kennedy bashing in this story). Anya still died in the Sunnydale battle and Xander is currently alone but may end up with Dawn. I don't know yet. Joyce still died because I feel it was important to Buffy and Dawn's growth as characters. Spike's relationship is to be decided. Giles is currently single and focusing on taking care of the Watcher's Council and the slayers. Illyria never possessed Fred; Fred and Gunn never broke up (I love Fred and Wes too but Fred and Gunn are just so cute!) Wesley is currently single, as well as Faith. They will find love at some point (not with each other). Wes will most likely end up with an OC. Conner just doesn't exist in this story. We'll just say, he's still living happily as Stephen with his fake family because I don't think I could write Conner properly. Doyle still died in Hero (I love Doyle but again, character growth) and Cordelia stayed in Pylea or something, I don't really care, all you need to know is she's gone cause I just CAN'T with the whole Angel/Cordy ship and just don't wanna deal with it. I think that covers all the background stuff that won't be addressed in the story in the near future or at all. If you have any questions just ask and I'll try to answer. This is unbeta-ed. All mistakes are my own. Joss Whedon owns BtVS and Angel. I don't profit from this, I'm only playing with his characters. Enjoy!**

**The Little Things**

_It's the little things in life that make life worth living._

BPOV

I groaned as my mind fights to stay asleep and rolled over in Angel's warm arms. My groan turned to a sigh of satisfaction. After Sunnydale fell into, well, nothing and news of Spike being alive and Angel taking over Wolfram and Hart began to circulate, I made my way back to my hometown to knock some sense into the two vampires that had at one point and time stolen my heart. I thought I was over _both _of them, but that was a pitiful, pitiful lie. The second I saw Angel again, after facing so much, with and without him, all my feelings came crashing back and I broke down. I told him that the only reason I wasn't cookies is because he wasn't there and that if he had been, I would have been _done. _Baked. Warm, delicious, cookie-me. He held me and kissed my forehead and apologized for leaving me. Spike stood back with his arms crossed and a really jealous, confused look on his face. I kissed Angel's shoulder, walked up to Spike, and slapped him across the face. Then I hugged him. I asked why he didn't call me and then told him I was sorry that I lied and said I loved him. I really thought it was what he needed to hear. He smiled and told me we both have things to atone for, but we clearly never loved each other. He squeezed my shoulder and then left for Angel and me to talk. It was incredibly awkward at first so I just sat in the chair in front of his desk and stared at my hands in my lap. Angel leaned against his desk and waited for me to break the silence.

"I remember, you know," I finally whispered. I raised my face to look him in the eye and the sadness within his brown orbs told me he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"I thought you might have."

"I didn't; not at first, anyway. It wasn't until after I came back from heaven." He knelt in front of me and held my face in his hands. I closed my eyes and savored the feeling of his skin against mine for the first time in almost a year.

"You understand why I did it, right? I couldn't…I couldn't live with myself if I knew I was holding you back or causing any distraction that would get you hurt or killed," he let out a short, bitter laugh. "Lot of good I did, huh?"

"Angel…" I sighed. "You did the right thing. As much as it hurts to say that, you did."

"You still died. I still lost you." I looked down at him before pulling him close to me and kissing him fiercely. He responded immediately, pushing me back further into the chair and nearly knocking the breath from my lungs with his intensity.

"How are we going to do this? Because I can't do this if you hurt me again," I whispered, sadly. He looked me in the eye and sincerely said,

"We'll find a way."

Flash-forward to the final battle. The one that would have given Angel his humanity had he not signed it away…or so we thought at the time. It was long and harsh and destructive but we all made it through. Angel's team and mine came together to fight the forces of darkness and keep Los Angeles from crumbling away to nothing. We had gotten separated in the thick of things but when the clouds broke and sun came shining through, that's when I truly panicked. I looked for my Angel in the carnage and when I finally found him – bathed in light – he was _not _on fire. He was badly beaten and bruised but he was there and he was _alive. _I fell to my knees and crawled to him. He blinked his eyes open and stared up at me.

"Buffy. Am I in heaven?" he whispered and I began to sob uncontrollably. I threw myself into his arms, careful of his injuries and scattered kisses over every area of skin I could reach, murmuring, "You're alive" over and over again. He held me close and asked why when a gold and blue woman approached us and knelt beside us.

"You have made it through, warrior, and been granted your life. Do not waste it." With that, she placed her hand over his chest and his wounds closed and his bruises yellowed until they faded to nothing. Angel slowly sat up beside me and looked between me and the other woman in wonder.

"Not that I'm not happy, but how? Why? I signed away the prophecy in blood."

"The Powers have been watching you, champion. Both of you and they have decided that you earned the ability to walk in the sun and experience the joys of life. They have decided to allow you to keep your status as champion, along with the strength and agility that comes with it. So long, lower beings. This is the last time we will ever meet. Use your power wisely or it will be stripped from you." I watched in amazement as she faded away to nothing and then pulled Angel back to me, kissing him with all I had left.

We got married three months after the battle, in a little church in Galway, Ireland. It was a small ceremony but it was beautiful and I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Giles gave me away and Dawn was my maid of honor. Willow and Fred, who I became fast friends with, were my other bridesmaids. Spike was Angel's best man and Wesley and Gunn were his groomsmen. It was strange watching Spike and Dawn walk down the aisle together but overall, the ceremony was perfect. We stayed in Ireland for two weeks as our honeymoon and returned to Los Angeles to train slayers and continue fighting the good fight. Now, we live in a penthouse apartment, paid for by the new and improved Watcher's Council that Giles and Wesley established together. I smiled peacefully up at his sleeping face before jolting up and sprinting for the bathroom. I just barely made it when the contents of my stomach decided to become the contents of the toilet.

"Buff? You okay, baby?" Angel asked, standing in the open doorway. I look up at him and shake my head no before vomiting once again. Angel knelt beside me, rubbing my back and holding my hair away from my face. I leaned back into him, wiping my mouth on a nearby towel and let out a slight huff. It was going to be a long day.

**Pretty please review!**


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